If you own vinyl chairs, you probably noticed how quick it is to catch dust, dirt, and stains. This is annoying since it ruins the chairs’ looks.
The dust, dirt, stain, and everything else does more than ruin the looks, however. It also ruins the material itself. Which is why it’s so important to clean it now and then.
But do you know what else ruins vinyl? Improper cleaning methods.
We don’t want you to make that mistake. So we’re going to give you the negative, how not to clean it, and the positive, the proper ways to clean it. We’ll also give you some great vinyl chair cleaning product recommendations.
So let’s get straight to it!
Table of Contents
How NOT to Clean Vinyl Chairs
Did you know that vinyl is a special type of plastic? It’s a synthetic material made from ethylene and chlorine.
Now, if you get plastic and start rubbing and scratching it hard, it’ll tear apart, right?
Well, vinyl isn’t as fragile as plastic. But since it’s a type of plastic, you need to be very careful while cleaning it.
Here are a few things to avoid.
- Never use harsh cleaning solvents or cleansers. The chemicals in these can discolor the vinyl.
- Stay away from rough cloth. The rough surface can make tiny scratches on the material.
- Solvents, abrasive, and synthetic detergents should also be avoided. As well as wax polishes and aerosol sprays. These products harden the vinyl and make it brittle and prone to holes and cracks.
If you avoid all these, then you don’t have to worry about ruining the vinyl while cleaning it. If you’re not sure about the detergent, test it first on a small patch of the vinyl that can’t be seen.
The 3 Proper Ways to Clean Vinyl Chairs
Now let’s get to how you can clean your vinyl chairs and still keep the fabric’s integrity.
1. The Proper Way to Remove Dust and Dirt
If you want to preserve your vinyl chairs, you need to do general maintenance. This means removing the dust and dirt on the surface.
You might think, “Removing surface dust and dirt? Easy.” However, there’s actually a very specific way to do that so the vinyl doesn’t get damaged.
Here are the step-by-step instructions for proper general maintenance to your vinyl chairs.
- The first step is to vacuum the whole surface. Vacuuming is great because it removes all the dust particles. And since it removes all the dust, there’s no danger of debris left to scratch the vinyl when you wipe it with a cloth.
- Now that you’ve removed the dust, it’s time to remove the dirt. Mix a mild detergent and lukewarm water (see detergent instructions for solution). Dip a clean and smooth cloth onto the mixture and wipe the vinyl with it to remove any dirt spots.
- To rinse off the dirt and detergent, apply cold water to another cloth and wipe the surface. For quicker results, move the cloth in one direction and lift it at the end.
- Finally, wipe it dry with yet another cloth. Remember, you want the cloth to be clean and smooth so you don’t add more dirt or, worse, scratches.
This is how to generally maintain your vinyl chairs. Do this regularly so that the dust and dirt don’t accumulate and damage your vinyl chairs.
2. The Proper Way to Remove Stains
As you can guess, stains are a lot harder to remove than dust and dirt. If your vinyl gets stained, it’s easy to go into panic mode and try everything you find to remove it. Don’t do that.
Instead, follow these steps. You must do this right away. If you wait any longer, the stain will go deeper into the vinyl and dry up.
- Make a solution of 95% water and 5% bleach. It’s best to keep this solution always ready so you can apply it onto stains right away whenever.
- Pour a bit of the solution onto the stain. Gently rub a cloth over it until the stain is completely gone.
- To finish it off, wipe with a dry, clean, and smooth cloth. Use the same one-direction wiping technique.
With this cleaning technique, you can keep your vinyl chairs stain-free and beautiful.
3. The Proper Way to Remove Creases
If your vinyl chairs are very old, it probably has a lot of creases already.
Good news! There’s a way to remove those creases and make it look new again.
Now, we know this isn’t exactly cleaning. Still, it’ll make your vinyl chairs look new and beautiful again, which is what cleaning is all about.
Here’s the proper way to remove vinyl creases.
- Use a blow dryer and direct it over the creases. Make sure it’s at low heat. Also, make sure you keep moving the hot air around so that it doesn’t concentrate in one area only.
- While doing that, smooth the creases with your hands until it disappears.
- After that, change the blow dryer’s temperature to cool air and move it around the vinyl. This is to help the vinyl settle into its new, smooth surface.
It’s as easy as that. For stubborn creases, you can use higher heat and a rolling pin to smoothen it out.
Product Recommendations
We mentioned that we’ll be listing some great detergent products and other products. So here it is.
CarGuy’s Super Cleaner is a great cleaner that removes dirt. It’s already formulated so no need to dilute it with water. Of course, you still need to test it in an unseen part of your vinyl to be sure.
Another great product for removing dirt is Seventh Generation’s Dish Liquid Soap. This is a very mild soap. What’s more, it’s also eco-friendly. Dilute it with water and you can say goodbye to all the dirt spots in your vinyl chairs.
For the stains, using 5% of AWESOME’s bleach is a great idea. This is because it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals and because it has a pleasant scent.
The best kind of cloth to use is a microfiber cloth. Evriholder has one of the best because it can be used for both dry and wet. It’s also a non-abrasive cloth so you’re sure it won’t cause any scratches.
Conclusion
There you have it. Those were the proper ways to clean your vinyl chairs.
So the next time you need to do general maintenance or remove stains and creases, you will know what to do.
My name is Vance, and I am the owner of To Ergonomics. Our mission is to improve your workflow by helping you create a supportive and welcoming environment. We hope that you’ll find what you’re looking for while you’re here.